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The Downfall of Doppler Labs: Inside the Last Days of a Hardware Startup

WIRED

On October 23, Doppler Labs founder Noah Kraft got a Facebook notification. One of those "On This Day" pop-ups, resurfacing a post from exactly two years ago, when Kraft had appeared on CNBC to make the case for his company. "We want to put a computer, speaker, and mic in everyone's ear," Kraft said during the interview. "We have very lofty visions of the future, everything from real-time translation to personal assistants." Because on October 23, Kraft was nine days away from shutting down Doppler Labs for good.


IKEA's smart lighting officially supports HomeKit

Engadget

After what seems like an eternity (for IKEA and HomeKit fans, at least), the Swedish furniture maker has added support for Apple's smart home platform. As 9to5Mac notes, so long as you have the company's Tradfri hub installed at your house, you'll be able to start controlling the lighting via your iOS device. It's worth noting that, this will only work with smart lightbulbs at this time; dimmer switches aren't online just yet. More than that, the hub integrates with Amazon's Alexa so if you aren't all-in on HomeKit, you can still use voice commands to turn your lights on and off. Google Assistant support isn't included in this update, however.


Are You Ready For Robots In The Classroom? - onlyFE it's not complicated

#artificialintelligence

Is your learning establishment preparing for โ€“ or even aware of โ€“ the next revolution in human development: robots educating our young? Artificial intelligence (AI), though rudimentary at the moment, is already having an impact on daily life. Your mobile phone is fast becoming a personal assistant, learning to anticipate your needs. Computer games contain virtual characters that learn to respond to their environment and smart cars are doing the same in the real world. And the UK government is keen for the country to exploit AI, publishing a report on the impact of AI on the economy, estimating that it could add another ยฃ630bn to the UK economy by 2035.


Revolutionization of Artificial Intelligence DataScience.US

#artificialintelligence

In this digital age, AI has shaped the way we are living, it is seeping its way into our lives, affecting how we live, work and entertain ourselves. From voice-powered personal assistants like Siri and Alexa to more underlying and fundamental technologies such as behavioral algorithms, suggestive searches and autonomously-powered self-driving vehicles boasting powerful predictive capabilities, there are several examples and applications of artificial intelligence in use today. Artificial Intelligence implementation can greatly enhance productivity in all aspect of life, but it can also be disruptive if not properly managed. Today, Artificial Intelligence technology allows non-living things like robots & computers to think for themselves to an extent. Artificial Intelligence and Man Artificial Neural Systems (ANS) A neural network is an electronic model of the brain consisting of many interconnected simple processors.


Schlage Sense now unlocks itself with an Alexa voice command

Engadget

You can already unlock Schlage's Sense smart deadbolt with your voice through Siri, but you now have another choice if you're not a fan of Apple devices. The smart lock is now compatible with Amazon Alexa, so you can lock/unlock it or check out its status by barking out voice commands through an Echo speaker or any of the e-retail giant's Alexa-enabled devices. If you want to play with the integration a bit more, you can fire up the Alexa app and create "routines" for your smart devices triggered by key words. For instance, you can create a sequence that automatically locks your front door and switches off the lights when you say "good night." Schlage has another smart lock with Alexa integration through either Wink or Samsung SmartThings, but Sense could be the better choice if you don't have plans of automating all the appliances in your home.


Amazon Echo (2nd generation) review: Better than the original, but not as important

PCWorld

The Amazon Echo, powered by Amazon's Alexa digital assistant, were breakthrough products that forever changed how we control our smart homes. The inexpensive Echo Dot that came later made it possible to put Alexa in every room of a home without spending a fortune. The second-generation Echo is better and less-expensive than the first full-sized Echo, but it's not nearly as important as those first three products. The new Echo is roughly 1/4-inch wider than the original, but it's about three inches shorter. That makes it much less likely to topple over than the too-tall original.


Why the newest Amazon Echo is now your best option

Boston Herald

In the land of smart home appliances, Amazon has been tops for years. And after spending time with the company's new Amazon Echo, I have no reason to believe that's changing anytime soon. Over the last couple of weeks, I've been using the new Amazon Echo (2nd generation), an update to the company's wildly popular smart home appliance. And after putting it through its paces, adding skills, testing its microphone, and seeing how well its speaker could blast music around the house, I'm more convinced than ever that Amazon AMZN knows how to build a smart home device. Get Data Sheet, Fortune's technology newsletter And when the second-generation Echo launches on Tuesday for an affordable $100, I think many shoppers will discover the same.


What shoppers really want from personalized marketing

@machinelearnbot

What customers want and what businesses think they want are often two different things. Here's what customers are looking for. Anyone who has gotten an unsolicited and irrelevant offer related to something they've done online knows that creepy feeling that someone is watching me. This kind of reaction is the third rail of today's drive to personalize interactions with customers. That's a problem because, when done right, personalization can be a huge boon for retailers and consumers.


OracleVoice: How Emerging Technologies Are Beginning To Transform Customer Service

#artificialintelligence

Customer service can be frustrating for consumers, expensive for businesses, and time-consuming for both. But emerging technologies on the cusp of wide adoption--including augmented reality, the Internet of Things, and AI-powered virtual assistants--offer the potential to transform the customer experience while reducing cost. Demonstrations at Oracle OpenWorld in San Francisco provide a glimpse of where things are heading. In one example, a Wi-Fi-enabled Yamaha dirt bike showed how augmented reality could reshape the way field service technicians and owners work on machines. The motorbike essentially operates as an IoT device on wheels, uploading health and status information daily that is integrated into Oracle Service Cloud. A smartphone application from IoT specialist ThingWorx recognizes the bike and presents the user with a variety of information options superimposed on the bike's real-life image.


Online dating couple 'plotted bombing'

BBC News

A couple who met on a dating website have gone on trial accused of plotting a terror attack using a homemade bomb. Munir Mohammed, 36, of Leopold Street, Derby, allegedly volunteered for a "new job in the UK", via Facebook with a man he believed was an IS commander. The Old Bailey heard he met pharmacist Rowaida El-Hassan, 33, of Willesden Lane, north-west London, online and she provided chemical expertise. Both deny the charge of preparing terrorist acts. At the time of his arrest in December, Mr Mohammed had two of the three elements of explosives, the jury was told.